Fencing combines grace with physical at fair

Published 8:00 pm, Wednesday, August 13, 2003

"Clickty-clack, clickty-clack!"

Allison Bergstrom, 13, of Midland, moved her epee, a type of dueling weapon, with focused movements. Dave Krueger, her opponent and teacher, suddenly lunged at her. With a stroke or two, Bergstrom knocked Kruegers epee out of his hand and onto the ground.

"I broke my own weapon," Krueger said.

The Three Rivers Fencing Club demonstrates this ancient art at the Midland County Fair. The group also has a booth where people can practice fencing.

Midlanders Sam Lewia, 15, and Marc Jankowski, 14, opened Wednesdays demonstration with foil fencing. Each teenager first saluted the opponent and Krueger.

"Fencers ready!" Krueger said.

The attack was on. The non-sword arm is always held out, preventing the dueler from protecting the target, or torso, area. Their weapons are capped at the tip.

The next match was between Bergstrom and Krueger. Krueger said the epee was the "Colt 45 of Europe." It has a blood groove that allowed the weapon to enter the body "seamlessly." Any body area is fair game in this type of fencing.

Three children huddled under the grandstand as the two fenced in front of the fairs gazebo. Krueger pointed down and Bergstrom, falling for his trick, was touched by the epee.

Krueger teaches fencing to all ages at the Midland Community Center. The next class starts in September. He has been involved in fencing for more than 20 years.

Krueger called fencing "physical chess," where the opponents try to outfox each other.

"Its very, very physically demanding, (but) it has a mental aspect," Krueger said.

Bergstrom, a slight girl with her dark hair in two braids, has been practicing fencing almost three years.

"I had been looking for fencing for a while. I read fantasy books; I wanted to try it," Bergstrom said.

Fencing surprised Bergstrom in several ways.

"It was a lot more ordered," she said. "It had a lot more style and finesse to it than I expected.

"It revolves more on courtesy than other sports."

But make no mistake  it is a sport. The fencers are sweating under the hot midafternoon sun with their long-sleeved white jackets and heavy masks.